From AI farming to farmer incomes: PM Modi to address India Today's Kisan Tak Agriculture Conference 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the plenary address at the India Today Group's Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026, scheduled for November 11–12 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The two-day event will bring together around 2,000 farmers, policymakers, scientists, diplomats and industry leaders to discuss the future of Indian agriculture.

The conference, presented by Mahindra Tractors and co-presented by Mahadhan Agritech, will be held under the theme "Smart Kisan, Viksit Bharat".

Discussions will focus on improving farmer incomes, adopting new agricultural technologies, strengthening climate resilience and expanding India's agricultural exports.

The Union Agriculture Ministry and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are collaborating with Kisan Tak for the conference.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the event would help shape a roadmap for the sector's growth.

"The Bharat Agriculture Conference being organised by India Today and Kisan Tak will be a new roadmap for the collective prosperity of the nation’s food providers," Chouhan said. "The real foundation of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ is our ‘Smart Kisan’ and the ‘Health of Agriculture’."

The minister said smart farming is not merely about modern technology, but also about maintaining the long-term health of our soil, reducing farmers’ costs and increasing their incomes.

Farmers to share success stories

The conference will feature around 20 farmers from across India sharing their experiences in agricultural innovation, entrepreneurship and climate-resilient farming.

Among them will be Padma Shri recipients Rahibai Soma Popere, Trinity Saioo, Nek Ram Sharma, Sultan Singh and Sundaram Verma.

Sessions will explore precision farming, artificial intelligence in resource management, climate-resilient crop varieties and ways to reduce supply-chain inefficiencies.

The event comes as agriculture continues to employ approximately 46% of India's workforce. The Economic Survey 2025–26 highlighted record foodgrain production of 357.73 million tonnes.

Announcing the conference, Aroon Purie, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the India Today Group, said the summit would connect farmers with policymakers, scientists and industry leaders.

"Agriculture is India's biggest profession, and its future dictates our nation's destiny. We are deeply honored that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will deliver the Plenary Address at the Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026. Through this summit, we are bringing the ingenuity of our farmers into direct dialogue with global science, policy, and industry to engineer lasting, tech-enabled prosperity," Purie said.

Kalli Purie, Vice Chairperson and Executive Editor-in-Chief of the India Today Group, said the conference would bring grassroots agricultural innovation to a wider audience.

"India's most compelling narratives of grit and innovation originate in our villages. With the Prime Minister addressing the concluding session, this platform gives those grassroots voices the ultimate national and global resonance, reinforcing our core belief that an empowered 'Smart Kisan' is the beating heart of a Viksit Bharat," she said.

Union ministers, global experts to attend

The conference will also see participation from Union Ministers JP Nadda, Piyush Goyal and Chirag Paswan, alongside Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini are among the confirmed participants.

International experts and representatives from agricultural research institutions, including the International Potato Center, ICRISAT, WorldFish and the International Water Management Institute, are also expected to participate.

Veejay Nakra, President of Mahindra & Mahindra's Farm Equipment Business, said technology and innovation could help improve productivity while making farming more rewarding.

"While technology and innovation have helped improve productivity and profitability, our larger responsibility is to make farming easier and more rewarding, while unlocking the next phase of growth for agriculture in India," Nakra said.

The programme will also feature cultural performances by Padma Shri folk singer Prahlad Tipanya, poet Rudra Pratap Rudra and Bhojpuri singer Chandan Tiwari. Actor and Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari will also participate.

Prime Minister Modi's plenary address will mark the conclusion of the two-day conference.